Blackerose's page

Hm..I will start making notes. I want to be very cautious that their abilities dont just start to overlap and get repetitive. I will brush up on my time travel..

I am glad everyone is enjoying! Feel free to share stories with tearful, whining players..it makes my cold gaming-running heart happy =-:

Mew power words? Are they in the language of the Catfolk? ;-)P
All joking aside..I have been waiting for a product like this for ages. Thanks!

Brian Gonzalez wrote:

I don't recall seeing anything saying that taking a school power with a limited number of uses per day or with a duration was changed for warlocks. For example, if a warlock takes Protective Ward from the Abjuration school, he is still limited to 3 + Cha times per day. Now if I'm wrong, please correct me. Would be swell. :)

School Ability: The warlock does not cast spells.

Instead, he is infused with supernatural energy that
allows him to perform magical powers at will. At 1st
level, the warlock may select two school abilities;
he also gains new school abilities at higher levels
(see the warlock table).

That can be read literately, as use the powers at will, whenever, or more broadly, as in without study or prep. I tend to agree that they are a little on the weak side...few of those abilities are huge effects because they are supposed icing on the spell-cake, not the cake itself

LMPjr007 wrote:

I would call that a Crisis...on Infinite Earths...

Yes, that's the analogy - Crisis on infinite earths in PFRPG would be so incredibly awesome... Just think about it: Each anthology being self-contained, but featuring components of a massive meta-plot spanning x worlds. That would be so incredibly cool...

Hmm...Maybe a dimension-hopping class related to the Time Thief...

The Nasr came out of a fever dream actually. One of those where I woke up and was like "What the @%&!!$ was that??" Sometimes my brain disturbs me...

Its funny..this has been on my mind A LOT in the last few months. I was thinking about pitching the idea..an annual 3PP team-up..a super module and/or a setting/world, created by the best. I am not sure just how to divy up who works on what, besides the obvious..but I think it would worthwhile not only for the fans, but for the writers and artists themselves. The things that could come out of this could be amazing, as long as nobody felt their slice of the pie was too small.
Even a book of short adventures, or different world settings..or other companies playing in a publishers world (Super Genius Games and Rite swimming in Alluria's Cerulean seas setting anyone..?)

I LOVED this class the first time around, and built my favorite character around it..I am so happy to see it expanded

That sucks, for no other reason than I was hoping to see a part II to this. When you 1st started the project it was sold mainly on RPGnow..and had minimal exposure on the Paizo boards that I saw, at least. Perhaps that ans/or a modest kickstarter would make a part 2 possible..
Just random thoughts

It was inspired by our old friend Lord Soth, actually, back in the day. Stuck the E in it because it already existed EVERYWHERE as a screen name/ email
I always thought it would be a great band name..lol

Marc: Love the shaman...I was actually working on updating a class from Frost and Fur (I think that's the name...) and had a spirit animal table half done that was quite similar. Thanks for saving me the rest of the work ;-)

This was a fun one..the NPC's have been kicking around my games for years

Or maybe he just wants to play the flavor he wants. If you have to have a specific "kind" of party, play a video game. I had a Ranger/Rogue that worked nicely, even with one of each in the group.

I voted for Dustpawn!

Just scream if you need any help..I can always throw some of my stuff into the mix.

It depends on how you see "winning". An RPG is not linear like a board or video game. A long campaign may not ever be "won" if you build a world around it that lives and changes even when the characters are not active. A win may be an entire party making it through an adventure intact..before moving on to the next. Or it may be ensuring victory, even if it means "recruiting" new help along the way to replace fallen comrades. What would make it a "win" in the real world?
The 1st level characters may be able to hit..but their AC's, saves and hit points mean they are very easily toast..and an intelligent for would see that. I think that is the balance worry people mentioned.

The only real win in an rpg is everyone having fun.

Adding this to my to buy list...

From my humble POV..getting the power curve right is AS critical as making it fun when dealing with a new class. Thats what you do best Owen. Its better to wait and get a great product, that will work in people's games and imaginations, then rush it just to "get it out".
Your classes never cease to amaze me

Blackerose wrote:

Alitan wrote:

Especially fun for characters with Leadership:

Doppelgangers!

I did write that... but what were you going for from there?

My net connection was yoyoing up and down..I have no idea how or why it even posted that. A few posts up, all in lovely quote grey, is my story. <smacks computer>

Especially fun for characters with Leadership:

Doppelgangers!

How often do the PCs see their non-cohort underlings? Do they even remember the name of their castellan? Their cook? Their smith? Do they even HAVE names?

Which means that they probably aren't going to notice when a few get whacked and replaced by doppelgangers.

At which point, all their enemies suddenly become AMAZINGLY well-informed about their plans, what expeditions they're going to undertake, etc., allowing for well-set ambushes to become the regular thing, as the doppelgangers sell their information-gathering acumen to the highest bidders.

And finally, when they stumble back to their fortress, tired and pissed-off that they've gotten bushwhacked AGAIN, they end up drugged and handed over to the winner of the bidding war!

Especially fun for characters with Leadership:

Doppelgangers!

We had a paladin that was constantly whining about how unfair it was to follow all the "good-guy" rules..he was always right on the edge of losing his abilities..
So a doppleganger took his place in their home city while he was off adventuring for a few months.
He comes home to find flowers being thrown at his feet, and getting patted on the back about his new baby, with his new wife..
The Dopp had done mostly good deeds..he discovered getting a title, estate and rich wife paid more that crime..he cleaned up the guilds, helped the orphans, etc etc..and the REAL Pally couldn't do much about it without looking like a jerk.. He did not enjoy his piece of humble pie..

I will let you know..I started it, got busy with some other projects, and am just now regoing over the notes

Good review End. I enjoy semi-controlled chaos, and it tends t work for me, so I would play one of these, just to see how it works. I am working on a unofficial set of tweaks for my game, basically expanding the entire tarot deck into augerys..add a few teeth to things.

Drop Dead Studios wrote:

ShadowcatX wrote:

Master Craftsman is a feat in the core rule book.

The archetype is based on that concept, fleshed out to a full style of play.

My point was do you really think naming it something that already exists in the rules is a good idea?

Quote:

As for members of the team with credits, we have Toad Bascom of "High Adventure Role Playing" by Iron Crown,

Never heard of him, High Adventure Role Playing, or Iron Crown. Sorry.

Even if I knew who he was from his previous game, however, I wouldn't know if he has a solid grasp of Pathfinder mechanics and balance.

Quote:

and if the kickstarter is successful, we'll be able to afford art by Kristi Kirisberg Harmon.

This was helpful, having the website to look at. She does good work.

Having someone from Iron Crown in your corner is a good thing, experience helps. The good news is I would likely buy this. The bad news is I rarely jump at kickstarters simply because I have to watch the cash flow closely. I will be watching this closely =-)

Jeremy, just sent you a PM with a question...=-)

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I am not sure how I feel about this one. It feels like it could have been a template for any fey.
I actually like all the dimensional abilities/feats. It makes the PC's have to think and plan and work as a team.
In the end..I could make so use of this, or simply adapt it into a template for my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, so we shall see.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Oh man. This one is right up my ally. Yet another case of "I should have thought of that".
It has a good look (without the whole "hairless pelt" thing). I would tone down the SLA some, but I like the spiderclimb..creepy. Players would..and should..be very afraid of these things.
In the end..I am so adopting a litter of these guys for my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, but this will likely be one of them.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Funny how gamers think alike. There are a lot of neat ideas in this one, and the writing is great.
I think the powerful charge ability needs to be scaled way back (Did that fairy just fly THROUGH me??), and while I love the ability to conjure a mount, it needs to be fleshed out a little more.
In the end..I like the little guy, all the more because I am using a lot of fey in my home game right now. I have not decided on my votes yet, but this may be one..the writing made it very alive.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Hm..swarms are a pain, in so may ways. They have such an unusual rule set that comes with its own limits. Not my first choice, but they sound cool.
I see what you were trying to do here, and it just "feels" strange. I am not sure if that is because swarms tend to be nonmagical/nonintelligent, or what. The idea of these being something you could actually talk to is pretty neat though.
In the end..I could see this competing with jungle humanoids in my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, but this one will really tempt me.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I really like this one..except for the name. Ouch.
I like all the abilities on this one, even if the sonic shroud makes the GM think on their feet a bit. The numbing bite is tricky, just from the sheer size of the bite. 1d8 damage is a lot not to notice..this may have been better as a sting or something small that then bleeds them out.
In the end..I really see this as a useful tribe of creatures in my home games. I have not decided on my votes yet, but this may well be one of them.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Huh. I love/hate this monster. I like the "look" of it for sure.
You have some great ideas here, thunderdash being the tops. The shock aura works with it, but is a touch overpowered. I would keep the bag of holding concept, with a fairly high chance of it being ruined in combat.
In the end..My homebrew has no real setting, so I can easily dismiss the area-specific parts in my home game. With a few tweaks it would be a fun thing to inflict on my players. I have not decided on my votes yet, so we shall see.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Odd critter, I enjoy chimeraesque monsters, although purple is a little..strange.
It feels like it has no great focus to me, trying to do everything at once. The base concept of feeding on diffrent emotions was a great start, and the whispers of false promise ability is wonderful(my st thought was that would be great on a major devil..), but it wandered a bit from where it started from.
In the end..I like the abilities more than the actual monster, and would scavenge them for other creatures in my home game. I have not decided on my votes yet, so we shall see.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I like the fact you looked to the real world to fuel your ideas; I do that myself, quite often as truth is stranger then fiction.
I think you may have tried a little to hard for this. It works on many levels, a bit over the top in others. I actually like bouyant..it can't actually swim, and that can be used to its foes advantage.
In the end..I kinda like this one,and would use it in my home game. I have not decided on my votes yet, but this one is in the running.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Nice concept, and really tied into the game world.
I like the basic concept of the monster, but it needs more magic to really live up to the name.Over all it is a solid monster that is less flashy then some, but has a well thought out history. The thornburst would be better served as a every 1d4 rounds, or x times per day.
In the end..I would use these in my home game in a heart beat, as tough minions! I have not decided on my votes yet, but this is a strong entry.

I generally don't go over casual conversation posts with a fine toothed comb. I also note one of the judges mentioned the same thing about the Ability Drain healing..I assume you plan to mention this to him as well?
I don't claim to know ever spell out there..just pointing out that 4 in any ability score makes a creature or player open to a one shot. Even if there are no specific player spells/abilities that drain Cha, I am sure summoning/charms/etc could generate a pet that does so.
As far as self proclaimed..I let my body of work speak for itself. I didn't know the comments were judged as well...

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I like the idea, and the description is perfectly creepy.
I have used partially incorporeal creatures in the past, so it was good to see one tossed out there. Its easy to trip up on PF vs 3.5 rules..perhaps a 25% miss chance? I wouldn't have given them the extra d6 of damage on their touch, personally, and would have dropped the amount of healing they gain when stealing, if any at all, and would have simply allowed them to use what they have stolen.
In the end..I like the concept behind this critter, and would use a tweaked version in my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, and the basic concept behind this one is pretty amazing..we shall see. Good luck to the badger

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I like the idea, and the description is perfectly creepy.
I have used partially incorporeal creatures in the past, so it was good to see one tossed out there. Its easy to trip up on PF vs 3.5 rules..perhaps a 25% miss chance? I wouldn't have given them the extra d6 of damage on their touch, personally, and would have dropped the amount of healing they gain when stealing, if any at all, and would have simply allowed them to use what they have stolen.
In the end..I like the concept behind this critter, and would use a tweaked version in my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, and the basic concept behind this one is pretty amazing..we shall see.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Nice work, solid creature, and useful. Always good to see more fay.
The statblock was solid, which is a happy thing. The only thing I was really missing was a solid description. Always give a passing thought to the artist that has to try to bring your critter to life. A bit of tightening up of the ways to heal the CHA drain would have been good too; I assume any of the "normal" ways of healing ability damage/drain would work. I would use this as a hard encounter against lower level characters, or make a group to challenge a larger party. One note..its low Charisma makes story sense, but makes it glass jawed if the players have any Charisma-draining abilities of their own.
In the end..I enjoyed this creature, and it could easily see use in my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, but this is high on the list.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
Oh yessss. I like this one, a lot. Vaguely annoyed I didn't think of it myself, actually.
Great concept, great feel, love the abilities for the most part. I agree that just fast swallow would have been a better choice. My only major issue is with engorge. The standard is that a creature of a specific size can swallow a set number of creatures of smaller sizes (2 Large, 4 Medium, etc). I like the idea of engorge, but as it stands it should already be able to swallow 4 members of your standard PC races. A retweak of doubling the amount of creatures per size would do the trick.
In the end..I really love this creature, and can't wait to have it swallow some players in my home game! I have not decided on my votes yet, but this will be one of them.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I read it..hated it..reread it, and liked it..rereread it and and got a headache...
I concept is sharp..and area that is grossly under used, but the entire thing needs a solid repolish. As have said before, you were taking a good idea and stuffing it into a CR 7 box, and I take that into account. This would be better as a weaker CR creature, I think. There are also huge questions (How does it isolate the familiar from its master, do they all become ravens, and if so why? Why aberration?) This may have benefited from NOT being a contest entry, so you could go into more detail about how it goes about its evil work. It may have been better off as a template as well.
In the end..I think this is a cool seed of an idea, that would be hard as hell to get to work properly. I have not decided on my votes yet..we shall see. Kudos for thinking out of the box!

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I have to admit..the name threw me a bit..I picture reefs as huge areas, and had issues picturing a CR 7 out of that, but once I read it, I got it. I get where you took the corals limestone "skeleton" as a riff on typical undead.
I am on the fence about the anti-magic field. Quite powerful for a creature of its level, but also utterly unexpected as well. A GM would have to use the reef with care as to not hose the players, but could build an amazing story around it. It sets it apart from other drain abilities as well. If I was throwing it together I would have made it a higher CR, but your did not have that option, and it is something easily tweaked outside of the contest. A pet peave: the "Organization solitary, cluster (1 plus draugr crew), tangle (1 plus wight gang), or colony (1 plus lacedon pack)" line; Having one plus x creature with 3 diffrent names just feels awkward. May have been better off just chosing the extra undead that just felt right.
In the end..I think I would try this out, carefully in my home games. I have not decided on my votes yet..but this is likely to get one from me.

As a monster designer, I look forward to this phase of the contest most..so lets see..
I like this one, quite a bit. I never would have thought of an alchemist/plant combo, and it has a great feel to it. The idea is great!
That said there were a lot of errors in the stat block itself. It is understandable; after putting together more critters than I care to count, I still have to double check myself, and that is using copy/paste templates..but some of the mistakes were easy to catch just my a quick side by side with a published work. ALWAYS double check yourself, and then, if you can, get someone else to as well.
In the end..I would (and likely will) use this plant in my home games. I have not decided on my votes yet..but this is likely to get one from me.

I think Tumor Familiar was intended to be an exception, and alchemist cannot NORMALLY get a familiar. That said it does qualify for Improved Familiar, more as an oversight, I think. As a GM..I would go for this, I think...

There have been cat folk in D&D for a long time, both the mentioned rakasta, and also the tabaxi. While I cant say I care for the art of the current catfolk, they are quite useable. I am simply "redrawing" them more in the old tabaxi vein, less human and a bit more savage

I will say this..I hated 3.5 psionics, it always felt to me the powers were just reworded spells when compared to the 2E stuff.
The new stuff is just that..new and different, with much less crossover. As such, it is in my home game, where the 3.5 was discuraged

Unless you don't want to Min/Max a character, and enjoy the story. I have always found rangers to be effective and DIFFERENT from a two weapon fighter and the like. Favored enemy is as limited as the favored enemies/terrains you choose..and frequently more played than say sneak attacks. The hunters bond animal is not intended to be a war machine, but a scout/mount/flanker.
You get what you put in.

I loved the idea of getting back some old favs..Oddly one of my players can pick out every creature I chose..heh

If I were GM I might think it impractical to carry around two shields and I don't see how anyone in reality could wield two shields, but if I were running a fun campaign, I'd allow it. :p

I direct your attention to this real-world martial art:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9uILn0iCUs

Twin heavy shield fighting technique.

Neat video..but I wouldn't call those heave shields..although its hard to say without holding them, they look pretty thin. And they are not "shield bashing" as much as combining a short sword sized edge as a slashing weapon.

Which critters were yours Axel?

Hm...looking over the stuff on RPGNow..I would almost rather have some of them updated. I am on the fence about checking this out, simply because I am not sure how much I would actually use it..I will see how the finances run..